my happy place

August 30, 2009

I am obsessed with hiking up the mountains behind my house. [I should note that my students call them ‘hills’ because compared to the other ‘mountains’ in Pedro Bay these are quite puny.] According to my pedometer it is about 1500ft up at about a 90 degree angle. I do not feel old and out of shape until I make the climb with my students. They literally sprint up the mountain side. The top is reached in 15minutes.

I may have found my happy place. Lingering on the top of a mountain provides an awesome retreat from classroom stresses. Up top it is absolutely magical. You can see everything- down Lake Iliamna, and when facing North West ridgeline lakes are visible. I hope to make that hike soon. (It does not look far, but everything in Alaska is in monstrous proportions, so distances are extremely deceiving.) Oh! And I can not forget about the berries- blueberries, crowberries (blackberries), and low bush cranberries are EVERYWHERE. I can literally not walk without stepping on them. I love Alaska.